Father Daniel O'Connor was elected to an unprecedented second term as president of the Atlanta Senate of Priests in balloting last Wednesday. The re-election was regarded as a strong vote of confidence for Father O'Connor, 39, "He's done a tremendous job," one priest put it.

Father Tony Curran, of the Cathedral parish staff, was elected to the post of senate secretary.

In the closest and most protracted voting of the day, Father Tony Morris outpolled Father Matt Kemp to become vice-president, as the senate took four ballots to decide the issue.

Father O'Connor, whose new term will carry him to the end of 1972, is a native of Hartford, Conn., who has been a priest since 1961. He presently serves as Superintendent of Catholic Schools within the archdiocese. He also is a chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve.

In discussing the role of a priests' senate, Father O'Connor told the Bulletin that it was conceived by the Fathers of the Vatican Council as a way of aiding the bishop in the government of the diocese.

Unfortunately, he added, priests have been a little slow to realize both the responsibility of the senate, and the opportunity it provides for making the priestly ministry more effective.

"Priests are like other people. They are very happy when someone else does the job. Each priest is so strapped for time in his own particular assignment, he just doesn't go around looking for more work to do. It's much easier to complain that the archbishop isn't doing something than it is to study a problem, come up with a solution, plan it with the archbishop, and then do it. That's work. That means taking some of the responsibility, and some of the blame if things don't turn out too well."

When asked about the senate's accomplishments during the past year, Father O'Connor said that he considered its biggest accomplishment was simply to make the priests realize that the senate could get things done.

"We don't allow people to complain any more. If a problem is not being taken care of, we put someone in charge of looking into it, getting a few others interested in it too, drawing up a plan of action, and then doing it. I think that more of the priests realize now that, if they have a good idea, the senate is where they can air it, discuss it with the archbishop and priests, and get some moral support in carrying it out -- if they don't mind giving their own time and effort."

Looking ahead, Father O'Connor said that overall planning for the archdiocese would receive the highest priority in the senate's work over the next year. An effort needs to be made, he said, to determine archdiocesan goals in light of the human and material resources available to meet those goals.

Further, he spoke of the need for continuing education for priests. "It is perhaps our most important responsibility right now. We have hardy begun to scratch the surface here. We must give the priests of the archdiocese every available educational opportunity to become more effective priests. If they grow, they will serve the people better, and find more satisfaction in their own ministry. This has to be our most important priority -- to help priests serve better."